The invention relates to sun shades and more particularly to sun shades for automobiles.
When direct sun light enters an automobile it produces some often undesirable effects. Some often undesirable effects include heating the interior of the automobile, heating surfaces of the automobile, and making it difficult for passengers in the automobile to see or to comfortably see, and fading colors of items in the automobile (e.g., leather or cloth covering seats of the car). For example, cars in direct sunlight may reach inside temperatures of greater than 100xc2x0 F. and more that are undesirable and even dangerous for persons, especially children, animals, and other temperature-sensitive items (e.g., batteries, low melting-point items). The components of the car""s interior may retain the heat and create a potentially dangerous situation and/or an uncomfortable environment. Thus, it is often useful to block a window to obstruct the rays from entering the automobile acting as a barrier to limit/reduce the heat generated by the direct sunlight. It is also often desirable to reduce direct rays of sun passing through a window onto passengers themselves or areas that may come in contact with the passengers.
There are shades for blocking direct sun rays from entering automobiles that exist in the market today. For example, there are shades that may be collapsed for storage and expanded for use. These shades may be, e.g., cardboard that folds or a plastic containing wires or rods that bias the shade toward an expanded condition. Other shades provide a retractable blind that can be rolled up for storage and extended/unrolled for use. Still other shades comprise a sheet of tinted yet transparent material of a square or rectangular shape. Shades for side or rear windows of a car typically are shaped as rectangles or ovals and are made from vinyl or textile materials. Current shades typically cover a portion of a window and can be positioned to try to inhibit rays from reached a particular spot inside the automobile, e.g., a child""s face. For example, many shades can be affixed to a side or rear window using suction cups that include metal components.
In general, in an aspect, the invention provides a sun shade including a shade material configured to inhibit light from passing through the material, the material having a trapezoidal shape when in an open state and being configured to expand from the open state to an expanded state, and an attaching mechanism configured to repeatably and releasably attach the shade to a window.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The shade material is configured to be stretched bi-directionally. The shade material is configured to be stretched bi-directionally at least about 10% in any direction. The shade material is configured to be stretched bi-directionally at least about 30% in any direction. The attaching mechanism comprises a plurality of components disposed adjacent respective corners of the shade material. The attaching mechanism comprises a plurality of suction cups. The material is configured to accommodate a first arrangement of fastening devices disposed in a trapezoidal configuration with the material in the open state and to accommodate a second arrangement of fastening devices disposed in a rectangular configuration with the material in the open state.
Implementations of the invention may also include one or more of the following features. The attaching mechanism comprises a hook-shaped clip coupled to the material and extending beyond a perimeter of the material, the clip being configured to snugly receive an edge of an automobile window. The attaching mechanism comprises at least one tacky member configured to stick to the window. The at least on tacky member comprises a plurality of tacky members disposed adjacent an edge of the material and displaced from each other. The shade may further comprise a temperature indicator. The temperature indicator comprises a thermochromatic ink. The shade is substantially free of metal components. The attaching mechanism is configured to attach the material to the window in a trapezoidal or a rectangular configuration with the material being taut between at least portions of the attaching mechanism used to attach the material to the window in the respective configuration.
In general, in another aspect, the invention provides a sun shade for use with an automobile window, the shade including a material configured to inhibit sunlight from passing through the material, and a temperature indicator coupled to the material and configured to provide a visible indication of temperature.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The material is configured to be bi-axially expandable and has a trapezoidal shape. The shade further includes a coupling apparatus coupled to the material and configured to be repeatedly attached to and detached from a window. The shade is free of metal disposed for direct contact by a person. The coupling apparatus is configured to attach the material to the window at at least four first positions in a rectangular arrangement with the material stretched taut between the at least four first positions and to attach the material to the window at at least four second positions in a trapezoidal arrangement with the material stretched taut between the at least four second positions.
Various aspects of the invention may provide one or more of the following advantages. A sun shade can be easily fitted to a variety of sizes and shapes of windows (e.g., both front and rear side windows of automobiles) to inhibit rays of sun from entering an automobile (i.e., not all rays incident upon the shade will pass through the shade). A sun shade can be adjusted to cover substantially all, and possibly all, of a window to inhibit light from passing through the window and into an automobile. Heat produced due to sunlight can be reduced, e.g., within an interior of an automobile including surfaces of items in the automobile. Greater portions of a window can be screened than with previous sun shades. Indications of temperature, e.g., inside an automobile, may be provided on a sun shade. Sun rays may be inhibited, including ultraviolet (UV) rays, from passing through a sun shade. A sun shade may be provided that is easy and compact to store. A sun shade for use on automobile windows for seats where children will ride may be provided with child-safe materials. A single sun shade may be adapted and fit to different windows, including windows on opposite sides of an automobile. A sun shade can be reused and adapted for a variety of shapes of windows.